During a press conference Monday announcing the proposed measure, a Bee reporter asked Dyer whether he would consider running for a third term if the ballot measure passed<\/a>. Dyer said he was open to the idea.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I stand here today, the answer is yes. I would run for a third term as mayor in the city of Fresno … as long as my health holds out. And right now, I feel really healthy, energetic, passionate about the job, and I feel like we\u2019ve got great things ahead of us, and I want to make sure I see it across the finish line,\u201d Dyer said. He co-sponsored the bill alongside Council President Nelson Esparza.<\/p>\n The proposal was met with swift criticism, with critics calling it \u201cself-serving\u201d and a \u201cpower grab.\u201d<\/a> Three political science experts told The Bee that there\u2019s no one-size-fits all for term limits, and there\u2019s no inherent problem in considering a three term limit. The problem, they said, is the rushed way in which the proposal was presented to the City Council and to the public.<\/p>\n Dozens waited until after 8:30 p.m. Thursday to make public comment against the proposal.<\/p>\n Dyer and Esparza criticized media coverage of the term limit proposal. Dyer said his reasons for considering a third term were misrepresented. He was only entertaining the idea to finish the work his administration has started, such as downtown development and securing a professional soccer team and stadium<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen people attack me for saying I\u2019m doing it for power \u2014 It\u2019s just not fair,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe mistake I made was agreeing to attend the press conference and the mistake I made was agreeing to be a co-sponsor of it,\u201d Dyer said. \u201cIf I had it to do over again, I would say, I don\u2019t want anything to do with it,\u201d he said. \u201cIf Council wants to bring this forward, so be it.\u201d<\/p>\n Few details have been shared about how the term limit proposal came about, though Esparza said during Thursday\u2019s meeting that the idea had been on his mind \u201cfor a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n Councilmember Miguel Arias, meanwhile, said he remembered discussing charter reform changes, such as term limits and adding council seats, with Councilmember Mike Karbassi \u201cyears ago.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo it\u2019s always been a conversation in this building,\u201d Arias said.<\/p>\n Dyer said he got a call about the term limit proposal from a councilmember last week when he was home one evening with his wife. Dyer declined to name which councilmember called him, citing their ongoing professional relationship.<\/p>\n \u201cThey talked about … there was going to be this item brought forward to limit service on the council and in the mayor\u2019s office to three terms,\u201d Dyer said.<\/p>\n The councilmember also asked Dyer if he would be interested to serve third term and to join other officials at Monday\u2019s news conference.<\/p>\n \u201cMy first response was no because I\u2019ve given a lot to this city… I have committed my life to public service,\u201d Dyer said.<\/p>\n But, he said, he saw some merit to the idea of three consecutive terms, which other cities across the state have also implemented. The proponents of the measure said it would keep people from cycling through as \u201clifetime politicians\u201d while at the same time providing stability to and an administration more time to complete big projects and policy changes.<\/p>\n \u201cI had heard from people in the community over the last probably six months about maybe the charter needed to be changed to allow for a third term,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n But, he said, he didn\u2019t give it a passing thought. \u201cNor did I ever, ever, for a moment, say I was going to pursue something like that,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was brought to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Dyer said he discussed the idea of a third term with his wife and Councilmember Tyler Maxwell \u2014 whose name has come up as someone who would consider a mayoral run \u2014 and with their blessings, said he would consider a third term if his health energy, and passion for the job was still there.<\/p>\n \u201cSome of the original councilmembers that asked me weren\u2019t necessarily co-sponsors,\u201d Dyer said.<\/p>\n Esparza said Thursday he \u201cresented\u201d the idea that the proposal would be self-serving for him.<\/p>\n Esparza, who is in the final year of his second term, is currently seeking a seat on the state Board of Equalization and faces a competitive race in the November general election.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it would have been self-serving if I did this earlier in my term,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n When the proposal was finally discussed around 8:30 p.m., around two dozen people made comments opposing the term limit change, questioning the motives behind the rushed term limit change and criticizing the Council and Dyer for proposing the idea and delaying the discussion until the end of the day.<\/p>\n Jagmeet Singh, an organizer with the Jakara Movement, a nonprofit serving the Punjabi community, said it appeared the measure was introduced as a means of job security for current seatholders.<\/p>\n \u201cCouncilmembers, we all know that are supporting this measure because you know certain primary elections probably were a little too close for comfort, and maybe you want to slide back into your seat in 2028,\u201d Singh said.<\/p>\n This story was originally published July 31, 2026 at 2:14 PM.<\/p>\n![\"Krista](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FRS_EPZ_CITYCOUNCIL_05.JPG\" "\\"FRS_EPZ_CITYCOUNCIL_05.JPG\\"")
Krista Aranda with stickers against a third term for Mayor Jerry Dyer listens closely during a Fresno City Council meeting Thursday, July 30, 2026 in downtown Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com Details of term limit proposal still murky<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785537429_250_FRS_EPZ_CITYCOUNCIL_03.JPG\" "\\"FRS_EPZ_CITYCOUNCIL_03.JPG\\"")
The Fresno City Council meets Thursday, July 30, 2026 in downtown Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com Council tables term limit proposal<\/p>\n![\"Fresno](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_5052.jpg\" "\\"IMG_5052.jpg\\"")
Fresno resident Joseph Rodriguez speaks in opposition to a proposal that would have allowed councilmembers and the mayor to serve three consecutive terms at Fresno City Hall on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Melissa Montalvo Fresno Bee <\/p>\n
![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Melissa_Montalvo_Headshot.jpeg\")